Interpreting God's word

In week five of Now What, Pastor Chip reminds us of the authoritative truth about scripture.

Dive deeper into the message with these discussion questions!

General:

When you hear that “all Scripture is God-breathed” (2 Tim. 3:16) how does that impact your view or perspective of the Bible?
Pastor Chip quoted D.L. Moody, who said: “I never saw a useful Christian who was not a student of the Bible.” Would you consider yourself a lifelong student of Scripture? What role does the Bible play in your life?
What do you find most difficult to understand about the Bible? Why do you think those sections or ideas are challenging?
Why is the common idea, “You have your interpretation and I have mine,” problematic when it comes to interpreting Scripture? What potential dangers does this mindset bring?
Pastor Chip quoted G.K. Chesterton: “An open mind is really a mark of foolishness… the whole purpose of an open mind is to close on something solid.” How does this challenge or affirm your view of being open-minded when studying Scripture?
What’s one action step you can take this week to better study and understand Scripture?

Take Home 1: We need to have a better handle on what it means when we say Scripture is sufficient for the life of a Christian

How do we keep ourselves from making Scripture say something it was never meant to say?
“The Bible gets used to support our issues or causes rather than being the mirror that reflects our deficiencies.” In what ways might you be tempted to use Scripture to justify your own positions instead of allowing it to challenge or change you?

Take Home 2: We need to really think through what clarity means in regards to Scripture (2 Pe. 3:16b)

What’s the difference between Scripture being clear in its message versus always being easy or simple to interpret? How can clarity still exist even when a passage feels challenging or complex?
Ne. 8:8 shows teachers clearly explaining the Scripture so people could understand. What role does careful explanation and study have in your own understanding and application of the Bible?

Take Home 3: Understand that many Christians elevate their feelings far above verifiable church history (Jude 3)

In what ways do modern interpretations or feelings-based approaches sometimes diverge from historical Christianity? How can this cause confusion or even harm?
Jude 3 calls us to “contend for the faith that was once for all entrusted to God’s holy people.” What does this look like in today’s world?

Take Home 4: Recognize that differing views are not just church issues, they are human issues

How is interpretive disagreement in everyday human communication (like texts or emails) different from interpretive disagreements in Scripture? Why does this matter for how we approach the Bible?
How can recognizing our own biases and limitations help us approach disagreements over Scripture with humility and wisdom?

Take Home 5: When reading and interpreting Scripture, we must remind ourselves of this fundamental interpretive foundation: What was the authorial intent?

Pastor Chip emphasized that each Biblical author had a specific message and intention. Why is it crucial to seek the author’s original intent rather than reading Scripture only through our modern lens or personal experiences?
Even though human authors wrote the Bible, why do we believe God was speaking through them? How does that affect your approach to reading Scripture?
What are some practical ways you can better understand the original context or intent behind biblical texts in your personal Bible study?

Take Home 6: Let's learn to move from negotiation with certain texts, to observance of the entire text (2 Tim. 2:15)

In what ways are you tempted to pick and choose verses or topics from Scripture that are more comfortable or convenient?
What does it look like to be someone who “correctly handles the word of truth” (2 Tim. 2:15)?
Jesus rebuked the Pharisees in Matthew 23:23 for neglecting the “weightier matters of the law.” Where might you be doing something similar in your own walk with God?

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In this series

June 1, 2025